Device and method for establishing an artificial arterio-venous fistula

ABSTRACT

A shunt rivet for implantation in the aorta and inferior vena cava to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and a method of treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No.11/356,876 filed Feb. 17, 2006, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S.application Ser. No. 10/927,704 filed Aug. 27, 2004, each of which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The inventions described below relate to treatments for pulmonaryhypertension and vascular surgery.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic hypoxia,hypertension, and left ventricular hypertrophy and pulmonaryhypertension are diseases of the cardiopulmonary system. Chronicobstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitisand emphysema, is a slowly progressive lung disease caused primarily bysmoking. In COPD, the lungs are damaged and the airways are partlyobstructed, making it difficult to breath and leading to a gradual lossof lung function. Symptoms of COPD include chronic cough, excessivesputum production, low blood oxygen levels and severe disablingshortness of breath. COPD represents the fourth leading cause of deathin the United States. Chronic hypoxia (reduction of oxygen supply to thebody despite adequate blood flow through the body), hypertension, andleft ventricular hypertrophy are related conditions which may besymptomatic of COPD or coincident with COPD.

These serious conditions affect many people, and the primary treatmentsare merely ameliorative. The primary treatments for COPD includeavoidance of irritants such as tobacco smoke and breathing supplementaloxygen. In advanced cases of COPD, lung reduction surgery is sometimesperformed, but it is not clear that it helps. There is no known cure forCOPD.

An aortocaval fistula (ACF) is a rare clinical condition that can beeither spontaneous (80% of the cases), related to abdominal aorticaneurysm, or the result of some trauma such as lumbar disk surgery. Itis currently seen as a defect that should be cured with surgery and,possibly, stent-graft implantation in the aorta.

Contrary to this understanding, an intentionally formed aortocavalfistula appears to be a viable treatment for COPD. Recently, in ourco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/820,169 filed Apr. 6,2004, entitled Implantable Arteriovenous Shunt Device and listing JohnL. Faul, Toshihiko Nishimura, Peter N. Kao & Ronald G. Pearl asinventors (the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference),we propose creation of an artificial aortocaval fistula as a treatmentfor COPD, and we disclose the method of creating the fistula and animplantable shunt for maintaining the aortocaval fistula.

Shunts or stents for connecting blood vessels have been proposed for thetreatment of coronary artery disease. Makower, Device, System And MethodFor Interstitial Transvascular Intervention, U.S. Pat. No. 6,746,464(Jun. 8, 2004) (filed Oct. 28, 1998) discloses a stent with a shorttubular section spanning the thickness of a coronary artery and anadjacent parallel coronary vein. This stent includes “clovers” on eitherend of the stent, and these clovers fold radially outwardly to obstructmovement of the stent through the vessel walls. Two clovers on theproximal end of the stent are orthogonal (relative to the radial crosssection of the stent) to two clovers on the distal end of the stent, andthe interconnecting wires are parallel to the longitudinal axis of thedevice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The devices and methods described below provide for treatment of COPD,hypertension (e.g., pulmonary hypertension, cardiac hypertension, etc.),and left ventricular hypertrophy, and chronic hypoxia. A vascular shuntrivet is disclosed which serves to hold contiguous points of thepatient's aorta and inferior vena cava (or other arteries and thereassociated veins, such as the femoral artery and femoral vein, or thecarotid artery and the carotid vein) together and maintain an open flowpath from the aorta to the vena cava. The device functions as a rivet,holding the two vessel walls in close proximity, and as a shunt,permitting and maintaining flow from one blood vessel to the other. Thedevice is implanted, between the aorta and inferior vena cava, as atreatment for pulmonary hypertension, COPD and chronic hypoxia.

The shunt rivet is provided in the form of an expandable wire framestructure adapted for transcutaneous delivery and deposit at the desiredimplantation site. The wire frame structure may be compressed into asmall diameter configuration to fit within the distal tip of a deliverycatheter. Upon expulsion from the catheter, the wire frame structureresiliently or pseudoelastically expands into a flow-through rivetcomprising a tube with expanded heads at either end. When the rivet isreleased within an artificial fistula formed through the aorta and venacava walls, it expands to trap the walls between the two expanded heads.The tubular section between the two expanded head may resilientlyexpand, and may also be balloon-expanded or otherwise plasticallydeformed to enlarge the flow-through lumen of the tubular section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates the method of installing the shunt rivet to createand maintain an artificial aortocaval fistula.

FIG. 2 illustrates an aortocaval shunt rivet in its restrainedcondition.

FIG. 3 illustrates the aortocaval shunt rivet of FIG. 2 in a resilientlyexpanded configuration.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the aortocaval shunt rivet of FIG. 2 ina resiliently expanded configuration.

FIG. 5 illustrates the aortocaval shunt rivet of FIG. 2 in a fullyexpanded configuration.

FIGS. 6 through 11 illustrate the deployment of the aortocaval shuntrivet of FIG.2.

FIG. 12 illustrates an aortocaval shunt rivet with asymmetrically shapeddistal and proximal flanges.

FIG. 13 illustrates an aortocaval shunt rivet with asymmetrically shapeddistal and proximal flanges.

FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 illustrate an aortocaval shunt rivet with strutmembers that form diamond-shaped cells in the central section uponexpansion.

FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrates an aortocaval shunt rivet formed with asingle wired wrapped to form the device.

FIG. 19 shows a detail of the clinch member, illustrating radiopaquemarkers on the shunt rivet.

FIGS. 20 and 21 illustrate a mandrel useful for forming andtraining/heat setting the shunt rivets.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a shunt rivet in which the clinchmembers are biased to provide a pair of clinch members biased to closeupon contiguous parallel portions of adjacent vessels while exertingslight pressure on circumferentially spaced points on the side walls ofthe adjacent blood vessels.

FIG. 23 is a side view of the shunt rivet 22 showing the substantialclosure of longitudinally oriented clinch members.

FIG. 24 is a side view of the shunt rivet 22 showing the preferred angleof the transversely oriented clinch members relative to the axis of thedevice.

FIG. 25 is a side view of the shunt rivet of FIG. 22 showingtransversely oriented clinches.

FIG. 26 shows the shunt rivet of FIGS. 22 through 25 installed betweenan artery and a vein, illustrating the construction of the devicerelative to the environment of use.

FIG. 27 shows another variation of shunt rivet which may include varyinglengths of the respective clinch members.

FIG. 28 shows a partial cross-sectional view of another variation of ashunt rivet as deployed having clinch members of differing lengths.

FIG. 29 shows a top view of another variation of a shunt rivet having anangled connector between the clinch members, which may also havediffering lengths.

FIG. 30 shows a partial cross-sectional view of yet another variation ofa shunt rivet having an angled connector which may also be tapered alongits length.

FIG. 31 shows a partial cross-sectional view of yet another variation ofa shunt rivet having hinges or flanges between the clinch members andthe connector to adjust or change an angle between the shunt rivet andthe vessels.

FIG. 32 shows a top view of another variation of a shunt rivet havingone or more break-away or frangible segments which may be integratedwith the shunt rivet along a periphery of the connector.

FIG. 33 shows a top view of another variation of a shunt rivet havingone or more plastically deformable sections which may be integratedalong the periphery of the connector.

FIG. 34 shows a partial cross-sectional view of yet another variation ofa shunt rivet having plastically deformable, elastically deformable, orbreak-away segments or portions along a length of the connector toadjust a length of the lumen through which blood is shunted.

FIG. 35A shows a partial cross-sectional view of yet another variationof a shunt rivet illustrating an example of an ordered sequence in whichthe clinch members may be deployed.

FIGS. 35B and 35C illustrate side views, respectively, of clinch membersof a shunt rivet being deployed entirely within a vessel.

FIG. 36 shows a side view of one variation of an instrument which may beused to adjust a length of the connector lumen.

FIG. 37 shows a side view of another variation of an instrument whichmay be used to adjust an angle of the shunt rivet with respect to thevessels.

FIG. 38 shows side and end views, respectively, of another variation ofan instrument having an inflatable balloon which may be used to adjust across-sectional area of the shunt rivet to adjust the flow rate betweenthe vessels.

FIG. 39 shows a top view of a shunt rivet having an oval cross-sectionalarea which may be optionally adjusted.

FIG. 40 shows a top view of another shunt rivet having a rectangularcross-sectional area.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates the method of installing the shunt rivet to createand maintain an artificial aortocaval fistula. The patient 1 is shownwith a delivery catheter 2 inserted into the left femoralartery/external femoral artery 3L and pushed upwardly through the leftcommon iliac artery 4L to a point just above the aortic/iliacbifurcation in the distal abdominal aorta 5. The inferior vena cava 6runs parallel to the aorta, and typically is contiguous with the aorta.As shown in the illustration, the left femoral artery provides a nearlystraight pathway to a suitable site of the artificial aortocaval fistula7 within the abdominal aorta (the right femoral vein 9R also provides astraight pathway to the same site on the vena cava side, and may be alsobe used as an access pathway). The fistula is created by forming a smallhole or slit through the walls of both the aorta and the vena cava atimmediately adjacent sites, and is maintained by inserting the shuntrivet 8 described below. The device may also be implanted via a routethrough the left femoral vein 9L, or through the right femoral artery 3Rand/or right common iliac artery 4R, though these pathways are notexpected to be so readily navigable. The shunt rivet may also beinstalled in an artificial arterio-venous fistula formed between thefemoral vein and femoral artery on either side of the body, indicated asitems 10R and 10L, or between the iliac artery and the femoral vein, andat locations in the aorta above the renal arteries.

FIG. 2 illustrates the aortocaval shunt rivet 8 in its restrainedcondition, while FIG. 3 illustrates the aortocaval shunt rivet of FIG. 2in its resiliently expanded configuration. The shunt rivet may be formedfrom a single tube 11 of resilient material, such as nitinol, springsteel, glass or carbon composites or polymers, or pseudoelastic (at bodytemperature) material such as nitinol or comparable alloys and polymers,by laser cutting several closed-ended slots 12 along the length of thetube (leaving the extreme distal and proximal edges of the tube intact)and cutting open-ended slots 13 from the longitudinal center of the tubethrough the distal and proximal edges of the tube. The open-ended slotsare cut between each pair of closed-end slots to form a number of loops14 joined at the center section by waist segments 15. Though the shuntrivet illustrated in these figures can be made of several loops of wirewelded together at the waist section, and many other fabricationtechniques, manufacture from a single tube as illustrated has beenconvenient.

After the tube is cut as described above, it is formed into its eventualresiliently expanded configuration illustrated in FIG. 3. In thisconfiguration, the loops turn radially outwardly from the centersection, and evert toward the center plane of the center section, thusforming clinch members 16 in the form of arcuate, everted, petaloidframes at either end of the loop, extending from the generally tubularcenter section formed by the waist segments 15. For clarity, the termeverted is used here to mean that the arc over which the petaloid frameruns is such that the inside surface of the device as configured in FIG.2 faces radially outwardly from the cylinder established by the tube.FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shunt rivet in the resilientlyexpanded configuration illustrated in FIG. 3, more clearly illustratingthe relationship between the several petaloid frames at each end of theshunt rivet.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the aortocaval shunt rivet of FIG. 2 in afully expanded configuration. Even after the device has resilientlyexpanded to the extent possible given its impingement upon the walls ofthe aorta and the vena cava, the center section may be further expandedby plastic deformation. This may be accomplished by inflating a balloonwithin the center section, inflating the balloon, and expanding thecenter section beyond its elastic or superelastic deformation range. Byplastically deforming the center section of the shunt rivet, the centersection becomes more rigid and able to withstand the compressive forceof the walls of the aorta and vena cava.

As illustrated, the construction provides several pairs oflongitudinally opposed (that is, they bend to come into close proximityto each other, and perhaps but not necessarily, touch) and aligned (theyare disposed along the same longitudinal line) distal and proximalpetaloids. Overall, the petaloid frames of the distal section form a“corolla” (analogous to the corolla of a flower) flange or rivet clinch,which impinges on the vena cava wall and prevents expulsion into theaorta, and the petaloid frames of the proximal section form a corolla,flange or rivet clinch (this clinch would be analogous to a rivet head,but it is formed like the clinch after insertion of the rivet), whichimpinges on the aorta wall and prevents the expulsion of the shunt rivetinto the vena cava, and the central section 17 forms a short length ofrigid tubing to keep the fistula open. The resilient apposition of thetwo distal and proximal flanges or corollas so formed will securely holdthe shunt rivet in place by resiliently clamping the walls of the aortaand vena cava (even over a considerable range of wall thickness or “griprange”).

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 5, the shunt rivet may be manufactured withan overall initial length L of about 8 to 10 mm to obtain a grip range Gof about 3 mm (given a typical aortic wall thickness of 2 mm and atypical inferior vena cava wall thickness of 1 mm at the target site), aclinch allowance C of at least about 3 mm (the clinch allowance is thedistally protruding portion of a rivet that is turned over, curled orflattened to form the formed head), a formed or blind head allowance Aof about 10-16 mm (we use the term blind head to refer to the distalhead, which is the head that is formed on the blind side of the joint),a head diameter H of 5-16 mm, an initial shank diameter D1 of 3-8 mm (inthe resiliently expanded configuration, prior to plastic deformation), afinal shank diameter D2 of 5-12 mm to create a flow through lumen ofabout 5-10 mm diameter. The grip strength of the shunt rivet shouldprovide for a slight compressive force exerted by the opposing clinchmembers on the intervening blood vessel walls. Thus, the shunt rivet isformed such that, in the resiliently expanded configuration, produces agrip strength in the range of 0.1 to 1.5 oz (about 3 to 45 gram-force)per clinch member upon. the intervening blood vessels of the expectedthickness.

FIGS. 6 through 11 illustrate the method of releasing the shunt rivet sothat the distal clinch members are released within the vena cava and theproximal clinch members are released within the aorta. Prior toinsertion of the delivery catheter, the surgeon performing theimplantation will image the aorta and inferior vena cava withappropriate fluoroscopic, ultrasonic, or other imaging methods, andcreate a pilot hole in the vessel walls with a crossing catheter. Asshown in FIG. 6, the shunt rivet is housed within the distal tip of adelivery catheter 23, and is entirely restrained within the deliverycatheter. The delivery catheter includes an outer sheath 24, a shaft 25which is longitudinally slidable within the outer sheath, and a taperedor rounded tip 26 disposed on the shaft. The tapered may be mounted on aseparate shaft, slidably disposed within the shaft 25, so that it may bepushed through the prepared aperture while holding the remainder of thedevice steady within the aorta. The distal edge of the outer sheath mayalso be rounded or tapered, as shown. A distally facing shoulder 27 onthe shaft, just proximal to the shunt rivet, serves to keep the shuntrivet in place longitudinally as the outer sheath is withdrawn. A guidewire lumen 28 may be provided in the shaft for use with a guide wire 29,and may extend to the proximal end of the shaft for over-the-wireoperation or may exit the shaft just proximal to the shunt rivet holdingsegment for monorail guidewire operation, and other guide wireconfigurations may also be used. A balloon 30 may be disposed on theshaft (and a suitable balloon inflation lumen provided in the shaft, anda suitable inflation pressure source in fluid communication with thelumen).

As shown in FIG. 7, the distal tip of the delivery catheter is pushedthrough a small aperture in the walls of the aorta and vena cava (items31 and 32) (the aperture is made by the operator, using a separate orintegral punch, needle or lance) to create the artificial aortocavalfistula. After the distal tip has entered the vena cava, the outersheath is pulled proximally to release the distal petaloids, as shown inFIG. 8. After the distal petaloids have reverted to their unrestrainedconfiguration, the entire device is pulled proximally to seat the distalpetaloids against the inner wall of the vena cava. Prior to completerelease of the shunt rivet, the operator should confirm that itslocation is acceptable (any suitable imaging technique may be used). Toallow retraction in case the shunt rivet must be repositioned, a hook 33protrudes radially from the shaft 25 and passes through a loop of theshunt rivet. This traps and secures the shunt rivet within the outersheath 24 until the outer sheath is moved proximally to release theproximal clinch members, so that the operator may pull the shunt rivetback into the outer sheath in case its location, as visualized prior tocomplete release of the shunt rivet, is undesirable. Any other retainingmeans, such as a resilient or spring-loaded detent, a retractable pawlwhich engages a loop of the shunt rivet, of a retractable hook extendinginwardly from the outer sheath, may be used in place of the illustratedhook.

Then the outer sheath is pulled further proximally to release theproximal petaloids, as shown in FIG. 9. With the shunt rivet securelyset in the artificial fistula, the center section may then be expandedby inflating the balloon as shown in FIG. 10. Upon withdrawal of theshaft, the shunt rivet remains in place to hold the two perforations inthe blood vessel wall in apposition to each other to maintain thefistula, and to maintain an open shunt pathway between the aorta andvena cava, as shown in FIG. 11.

The final form of the shunt rivet is, according to the abovedescription, accomplished with the method that includes forming thegenerally tubular structure having a central section with a firstdiameter, a proximal clinch section defined by one or more clinchmembers, and a distal clinch section defined by one or more clinchmembers, training the proximal and distal clinch members to make themresiliently biased to bend radially outwardly from the central section;then resiliently compressing the tubular structure to maintain agenerally tubular shape and restraining the compressed tubular structurein a compressed configuration suitable for percutaneous insertion intothe body; inserting the structure through apposing apertures in theaorta wall and vena cava wall of a patient such that the distal clinchmembers protrude into the vena cava of the patient and the centralsection is disposed within the apertures; and then releasing the distalclinch members to permit resilient expansion of the distal clinchmembers followed by expanding the central section through plasticdeformation to larger diameter and releasing the proximal clinch membersto permit resilient expansion of the proximal clinch members (theproximal clinch members may be released before or after expansion of thecentral section).

The shunt rivet illustrated above may be modified as shown in FIGS. 12and 13, which show an aortocaval shunt rivet with asymmetrically shapeddistal and proximal flanges. In FIG. 12, the shunt rivet 35 is similarto the shunt rivet of FIGS. 2 through 4, and includes the centralsection, the distal flange comprised of multiple petaloid wire-framemembers 16 d, and the proximal flange comprised of multiple petaloidwire-frame members 16 p. In this embodiment, the distal corolla ishorn-shaped, “salverform” or “funnelform” (as those terms are used inbotany), with the petaloids arcing outwardly without everting, (withouta substantial arc in the proximal direction), while the proximal corollais perianth-like, arcing outwardly and everting with a substantial arcin the distal direction. Each petaloid is significantly reflexed, likethe perianth of a narcissus cyclamineus. FIG. 13 illustrates anotherembodiment of the aortocaval shunt rivet with asymmetrically shapeddistal and proximal flanges. In FIG. 13, the proximal petaloids arehighly reflexed, and evert to form pigtails with an arc of over 180°,and preferably, as illustrated, an arc in excess of about 270°, suchthat the proximal petaloids bend radially inwardly toward the tips 36 topresent a length of wire 37, rather than the tip of the petaloids, forimpingement on the blood vessel wall. One or both of the distal orproximal petaloids/clinch members may be modified to form the pigtailsillustrated in FIG. 13. In the embodiments shown, the petaloids aregamopetalous (with the petals united by their margins, at least at thebase, as in FIG. 2 et seq.), but they may also be polypetalous as shownbelow FIGS. 14, 15 and 16. The embodiments shown are also actinomorphic,though they may be constructed in zygomorphic fashion with asymmetricalpetaloids.

FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 illustrate an aortocaval shunt rivet 8 with diamondshaped strut members in the central section. This shunt rivet provides acentral section 17 with a series of expandable loops joined bycircumferentially oriented struts 38. FIG. 14 illustrates a tube 11 withnumerous slots cut into it to form the shunt rivet shown in FIG. 16.Slots 12 are closed-end slots, leaving a loop 14 extending from thecentral section 17 to form a clinch member cell 39. Slots 40 are open orclosed-end slots extending from the center of the device, leaving smallcircumferential struts 41 connecting adjacent cells of the device. Slots42 are open or closed-end slots extending from the center section of thedevice, leaving larger waist sections 43 connecting the circumferentialstruts with adjacent clinch member cells of the device. Slots 44 areclosed-end slots extending through the waist sections. As shown in FIG.15, some waste area (segments intended to be removed) 46 shown in FIG.14 are cut away and discarded, leaving expandable waist section cells 47and clinch cells 39, interconnected by the circumferential struts 38.Though the device is illustrated with three clinch members on each end,the number of clinch members formed in the shunt rivet may be varied.The waist section cells and clinch member cells, can, as shown at 48,share struts which define contiguous cells. As shown in FIG. 16 thewaist section cells, when expanded, form the diamond shaped cells of thecentral section. The clinch member cells comprise petaloid cells whichmay be described as lanceolate (narrow and tapering to an apex (thoughthe apex is preferably blunt)), or ovate (having a broad base and narrowtip) rather than reniform or orbicular. The tip of the petaloid ispreferably obtuse, rounded or blunt. As can be appreciated from FIG. 16the clinch members may also be described as longitudinally extendingwires which connect the longitudinally tips of adjacent waist sectioncells.

FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate an aortocaval shunt rivet 51 formed with asingle wired wrapped to form the device. In this device, a single wirehas been wrapped around a specially formed mandrel to form a number ofclinch members 52 on one end of the device and a number of clinchmembers 53 on the other end of the device. As illustrated, each clinchmember is slanted relative to the radius of the device, and the wiresforming the waist segment of the device are also oblique to thelongitude of the device. As viewed from the top, each cinch membercomprises a substantially circular arc, and the wire continues from thearc longitudinally toward the opposite end of the device, formingstraight waist segment 54 where it runs substantially parallel to thelong axis of the device until it arcs circumferentially away from theprevious arc to form the clinch member on the opposite end, whereafterit loops around to extend retrograde relative to the circumference,forming waist segment 55 running obliquely relative to the long axis,and back toward the first end of the device until it curves againcircumferentially forward to form the loop of the next clinch membercircumferentially adjacent the first loop and longitudinally in linewith the immediate previously formed clinch member on the opposite endof the shunt rivet, and continues in this fashion until the entiretubular structure of the device is achieved. In tracing its path, thewire may cross over one or more other portions of the wire.

FIG. 19 shows a detail of the clinch member, illustrating radiopaquemarkers on the shunt rivet. A radiopaque marker may be provided in theform of a radiopaque rivet 61 disposed near the tip of the clinch member16, or it may be provided in the form of a wrapped coil of radiopaquewire or thread 62. The radiopaque markers may be comprised of platinum,iridium, tantalum, barium sulfate or other radiopaque materials. Similarmarkers may also be applied to the waist section. The marker materialmay also be selected to enhance visibility under ultrasound imaging,magnetic resonance imaging, or other suitable imaging techniques.

FIGS. 20 and 21 illustrate mandrels or dies useful for forming andtraining/heat setting the shunt rivets. As shown in FIG. 20, a two-partmandrel comprises a distal mandrel portion 63 and a proximal mandrelportion 64. Each mandrel is shaped to correspond to the desired finalshape of the shunt rivet and its clinch members. The mandrel portionsare inserted into the tube, after it has been cut, so as to deform thedevice. Where the device is formed from a pseudoelastic material thatmust be heat set or trained, the mandrels are dimensioned to deform thedevice to its desired open configuration. Where the device is formed ofspring steel or the like, the mandrel is dimensioned to bend the clinchmembers beyond the desired final configuration. Thus, the mandrel ofFIG. 20 and the mandrel of FIG. 21, though shaped differently, may beused to form quite similar shapes for devices made of nitinol and springsteel. The mandrel shapes may be modified as desired to achieve variousclinch member shapes, such as the asymmetrical shapes shown in FIGS. 12and 13.

The shunt rivet may be modified as shown in FIGS. 22 through 25. FIG. 22is a perspective view of a shunt rivet 65 in which the clinch membersare biased to provide pairs of clinch members 66 a and 66 v biased toclose upon contiguous parallel portions of adjacent vessels and a pairof clinch members 67 a and 67 v biased to exert slight pressure, andestablish slight compliance mismatch, on circumferentially spaced pointson the side walls of the adjacent blood vessels. Each clinch member isslit down the center to allow radially expansion of the device throughradial deformation of the clinch member.

FIG. 23 is a side view of a shunt rivet of FIG. 22 showing thesubstantial closure of longitudinally oriented clinch members 66 a and66 v. These clinch members are formed to evert, such that the tips ofopposing clinch members 66 a and 66 v are closely proximate each otherwhen released (in the expanded configuration shown). A short segment atthe distal tip of each clinch member is turned away from the transversemidline 68 of the device to form an atraumatic bearing surface forimpingement on the blood vessels walls. As illustrated, the clinchmembers 66 a and 66 v comprise a continuously formed clip, with nointervening waist segment between the arterial portion of the clip andthe venous portion of the clip. The clip resembles a tool clip, as thatterm is used in other arts. Preferably the clinch members making up thetool clip are joined directly together, without an interveningrectilinear base (though a rectilinear base may be incorporated ifdesired to accommodate the anatomy of the arterio-venous fistula in aparticular site), to create a smoothly arcuate transition from thedistal clinch member to the proximal clinch member. FIG. 24 is a sideview of the shunt rivet 22 showing the preferred angle of thetransversely oriented clinch members 67 a and 67 v relative to the axis70 of the device. In this embodiment, the transversely oriented clinchmembers 67 a and 67 v (both the near and far pairs are visible in thisview) are set at a small angle from axis 70. In the unrestrainedconfiguration, the clinch members 67 a on the arterial side of thedevice (typically the first side of the device to be released from thecatheter given the preference for transvenous delivery) are inclinedtoward the upstream or retrograde direction. Clinch members 67 v on thevenous side of the device are inclined toward the upstream or retrogradedirection within the vein. This configuration facilitates release of thedevice from the small delivery catheter used to insert it into afistula.

FIG. 25 is a side view of the shunt rivet of FIGS. 22 through 24 showingtransversely oriented clinch members 67 a and 67 b with substantialspacing between the tips of the clinch members (in the expandedconfiguration shown). Also, clinch members 67 a and 67 b constitute acontinuously formed tension spring (shaped substantially like thetension spring used in window frames, having an arcuate or bow shape,with the ends arcing outwardly from the axial centerline 70 of thedevice and adapted to impinge upon or exert force on the blood vesselsand the middle of the arch adapted to exert force on the remainder ofthe shunt rivet to which it is fixed), with no intervening waist segmentbetween the arterial portion of the tension spring and the venousportion of the tension spring, and the tension spring formed to impingeon the sidewall of the artery or vein at a point circumferentiallydisplaced from the center of the rivet without deforming the arteryand/or vein walls to bring the opposite tips 69 a and 69 v intoapposition such as that achieved by the tips of the tool clips. A shortsegment at the distal tip of each clinch member is turned away from theaxial centerline 70 of the device to form an atraumatic bearing surfacefor impingement on the blood vessel walls.

The device may thus be described, in their open and unconstrainedconditions, as comprising two parallel tool clips secured at theirclosed ends to two parallel tension springs, at the midpoints of thetension springs, to create an orthogonal or cruciform grouping ofalternating spring clips and tension springs. Adopting the botanicallanguage used for other embodiments, each side of the device comprises apair of petaloids arcing outwardly from the axial centerline of thedevice without everting (without a substantial arc in the proximaldirection), and a pair of petaloids arcing outwardly and everting with asubstantial arc in the distal direction, with corresponding petaloidstructures being joined at their proximal ends without an interveningwaist segment. Each petaloid is formed in an open frame V-shape. Thoughillustrated with a pair of clips and a pair of tension springs, thedevice may be formed with additional tension springs or clips, asdictated by the local anatomy of a particular installation. Inappropriate anatomical conditions, the device may comprise four clips inthe tool clip configuration, or the comparable everting petaloid pairs(in which all clinch members evert substantially to close upon thevessel wall), arranged orthogonally, where the tool clips are arrangedin a circular arrangement with the closed end of each clip being securedto the closed and of an adjacent clip, such that the open end of eachtool clip is directed outwardly from the circular arrangement. Thedevice may also include additional arcuate tension springs and/or toolclip portions, thus departing from the cruciform configuration shownwhile achieving the benefit of substantial spacing of the vesselcontacting tips from the arterio-venous fistula.

FIG. 26 shows the shunt rivet of FIGS. 22 through 25 installed betweenan artery 71 and vein 72, in order to illustrate the construction of thedevice relative to the environment of use. The tips of the “tool clip”portion of the device (66 a and 66 b) close upon points in therespective vessels 73 a and 73 v which are longitudinally spaced(relative to the blood vessels) from the arterio-venous fistula formedin which the device is placed. The points of impingement aresignificantly spaced from the fistula, as illustrated. The tips of thetension spring portion (67 a and 67 v) of the device impinge oncircumferentially spaced points 74 a and 74 v. As shown in FIG. 26, thecircumferential points of impingement are significantly spaced from thefistula. The circumferential spacing is preferably 30° to 90°, but maybe adjusted to fit local anatomy. In this manner, the shunt rivet avoidsengagement of the blood vessels adjacent the fistula. As shown in FIG.26, the ultimate shape of the installed shunt rivet may vary from theunrestrained shape due to the remaining constraint of the blood vesselwalls, though the device is biased to resiliently or superelasticallyreturn to the unrestrained shapes of FIGS. 22 through 25. Afterinstallation, the shunt rivet holds the adjacent artery and veintogether and maintains an open flow path through opening defined by theroughly circular arrangement of the clips and tension springs. Shouldthe arrangement appear to be somewhat squared or angular, pentagonal,hexagonal, etc., given the particular geometries of the various parts,it is intended that such departures from perfect circular arrangement beincluded under the description of a circular arrangement.

Yet another variation for the shunt rivet may include varying a lengthof the respective clinch members. As illustrated in the perspective viewof FIG. 27, shunt rivet 80 may include the longitudinally orientedclinch members 81 a, 81 a′ and 81 v, 81 v′ positioned opposite to oneanother and transversely oriented clinch members 82 a and 82 vpositioned transverse relative to an axial centerline of shunt rivet 80,as described above. In this variation, clinch members 81 a and 81 v′ maybe sized to have a length which is less than clinch members 81 a′ and 81v, as described in further detail below. The respective lengths ofclinch members 81 a, 81 v′ relative to 81 a′, 81 v may be variably sizedto maximize or optimize the stability of shunt rivet 80 with respect tothe vessels when deployed between adjacent vessels.

Moreover, varying the lengths of the respective clinch members mayfurther provide additional advantages. For instance, the clinch memberswhich are shortened in length may facilitate the positioning andsecurement of the shunt rivet between the vessels by allowing for therelatively shorter member to swing into position within the vessel lumenduring deployment, as described in further detail below. Moreover, ashorter member may provide for a minimized implant size when placedagainst the vessel interior wall for securement as well as a mitigatingany physiologic reaction to the implant, e.g., a reduction inthrombosis, etc. Additionally, clinch members which are lengthenedrelative to other members may provide for increased shunt stability byincrease the amount of force applied against the tissue walls.

Moreover, clinch members having different lengths may additionally placethe adjacent vessels in tension such that the vessel walls are drawntowards one another and the clinch members 81 a, 81 a′ and 81 v, 81 v′contact the vessel luminal walls to stabilize not only the shunt rivetwithin the vessels but also the vessels with respect to one another.Additionally, having one or more clinch members 81 a, 81 v′ sized tohave a length shorter than its respective apposed clinch member may alsofacilitate the deployment and/or positioning of the clinch members 81 a,81 v′ within the vessel since the shorter length clinch members can moreeasily “swing” through an arc within the vessel lumen without contactingthe interior walls. Clinch members with differing lengths may further beconfigured to align along different planes when deployed to facilitatevessel separation, if so desired.

As above, each of the clinch members may be formed without anintervening waist segment between the arterial portion of the shuntrivet 81 a, 81 a′ and the venous portion of the shunt rivet 81 v, 81 v′.As also previously described, the clinch members may be joined directlytogether, without an intervening rectilinear base (though a rectilinearbase may be incorporated if desired to accommodate the anatomy of thearterio-venous fistula in a particular site), to create a smoothlyarcuate transition from the distal clinch member to the proximal clinchmember.

Aside from the variable length clinch members, shunt rivet 80 mayfurther define one or more slots 83 along the length of the clinchmembers, such as at the terminal ends of each clinch member. The one ormore slots 83 may be formed or cut, e.g., by a laser, to provide aregion through which a radio-opaque marker or wire, such as tantalumwire or any other radio-opaque material as described herein, may bepassed through to facilitate imaging during deployment. Shunt rivet 80may also further include an optional radio-opaque center marking bandabout the center of rivet 80 to indicate the center, e.g., when viewedunder fluoroscopy or any other imaging modality. Additionally, one ormore of each clinch member may also optionally include a slot 84 definedalong a length of the individual respective clinch member struts, asshown, to further function as a stress-relieving slot.

Although shunt rivet may be formed without an intervening waist member,it may be optionally included. As shown in the illustrative partialcross-sectional view of FIG. 28, another variation of shunt rivet 93 maybe seen deployed between two respective vessels, artery 90 and vein 91.Clip connector 99 may extend between sets of clinch members 95, 96 and97, 98 while defining lumen 94. Although the transverse clinch membershave been omitted from the illustration for clarity, they may beoptionally omitted from the shunt rivet entirely, if so desired. In itsdeployed configuration when placed through fistula 92 defined betweenvessels 90, 91, lumen 94 may define a flow path between the vessels, asdescribed above. In this variation, clinch members 96, 97 are shortenedin length relative to the lengths of clinch members 95, 98. Theshortened clinch members 96, 97 may be configured to be deployed onopposite ends of the shunt rivet such that shortened clinch member 96 isdisposed within artery 90 while shortened clinch member 97 is disposedwithin vein 91 and extends in a direction opposite to that of clinchmember 96. Shortened clinch members 96, 97 may be similar in length andconfiguration or they may be varied in length relative to one another.

Likewise, clinch member 95 may be disposed in artery 90 while clinchmember 98 is disposed in vein 91 such that they extend in opposingdirections and are positioned opposite to their respective shortenedclinch members. Like their shortened counterpart members, clinch members95, 98 may be similar in length and configuration or they may also bevaried in length relative to one another. Clinch members with differinglengths may be utilized in any of the variations described herein incombination with additional features, as described.

In addition to having clinch members of different lengths, the connectormember itself may be modified such that its extends between therespective clinch members at an angle relative to a centerline of theshunt rivet, as illustrated by angled connector 100 in the top view ofFIG. 29. The angled connector 100 may be configured over a number ofvarious angles such that the blood flow between the vessels 90, 91through angled connector 100 avoids a 90° turn.

In yet another variation, angled connector 110 may be further modifiedsuch that the cross-section of the connector is tapered along itslength, as shown in the partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 30.Accordingly, in addition to having clinch members of various lengths andan angled connector, the connector 110 and/or connector lumen 94 may betapered or it may define a non-constant cross-sectional area along itslength. For instance, the connector lumen 94 may be tapered such thatthe cross-sectional area increases as the connector 110 extends from thearterial vessel 90 to the venous vessel 91, as shown. Alternatively, thecross-sectional area may decrease as the connector 110 extends away fromthe arterial vessel 90.

In yet a further variation, the shunt rivet may optionally include ahinge or flange 111 connecting one or more of the clinch members to theconnector 110, as shown in FIG. 31. Such a hinge or flange may beadjustable to change an angle at which connector 110 extends between theclinch members and may utilize any number of hinging mechanisms. Forinstance, hinge or flange 111 may simply comprise a plasticallydeformable portion of the shunt rivet or it may be a mechanically hingedmechanism, e.g., which provides for frictional engagement between theclinch members and the connector 110 to maintain its position yet alsoallows for adjustment. The hinge or flange 111 may be adjusted prior todeploying the shunt rivet such that the clinch members extend at theirpredetermined angle when deployed. Alternatively, hinge or flange 111may be adjusted during deployment or after the shunt rivet has beenplaced between the vessels 90, 91 by using an inflatable ballooninstrument or other expandable tool. In yet another alternative, thehinge or flange 111 may be adjusted both before deployment and during orpost deployment into the vessels. For example, post deploymentadjustments may be accomplished anytime, e.g., within one hour of shuntdeployment, or alternatively in a subsequent procedure, e.g., prior toor after thirty days of deployment within a patient.

Another variation may utilize one or more break-away or frangiblesegments 120 which may be integrated with the shunt rivet along aperiphery of connector 99, as illustrated in the top view of FIG. 32. Inthis example, two break-away segments 120 may be integrated on eitherside of connector 99 such that when the shunt rivet has been positionedor during positioning into the vessels, connector 99 may be adjusted insize, e.g., by expanding the opening via a balloon instrument, to allowfor a greater flow through the shunt rivet. The break-away segments 120may be comprised of a number of different biocompatible materials whichmay be dissolved into the blood or they may be configured as opposingportions of connector 99 which are overlapped or otherwise heldtemporarily to one another.

Alternatively, segments 120 may be comprised of plastically deformablebands which break apart to adjust or allow for the adjustment of thecross-sectional area of the connector 99. The adjustability of theconnector cross-section may allow for the shunt rivet to change from acircular cross-sectional area to an oval cross-sectional area. In thesame manner, the cross-sectional area may be changed from an oval areato a round area. The adjustment of the cross-sectional area utilizingthe break-away segments 120 may be performed pre-implantation, duringimplantation, or post implantation of the shunt rivet into the vessels.

Another variation is shown in the top view of a shunt rivet in FIG. 33which utilizes one or more plastically deformable sections 130 which maybe integrated along the periphery of connector 99. As shown, theplastically deformable sections 130 may be plastically deformed, e.g.,via an inflatable balloon, either prior to, during, or post deploymentto adjust the cross-sectional area of connector 99. Moreover,plastically deformable sections 130 may be integrated into connector 99such that when connector 99 is expanded or deformed, sections 130plastically deform and retain their deformed configuration when adeforming force is removed.

Aside from variations in adjusting the cross-sectional flow area of theshunt rivets, other optional variations may be incorporated in any ofthe shunt rivets described herein. For instance, FIG. 34 shows a partialcross-sectional side view of yet another variation which may utilizeplastically deformable, elastically deformable, or break-away segmentsor portions 140 along a length of connector 110 to adjust a length ofthe lumen through which blood is shunted. The portions 140 may beutilized along a length of connector 110 to allow for adjustment of thedistance between the vessels 90, 91 and they may be utilized with aconnector length which is uniform in diameter or which is tapered ornarrowed, as described above.

In utilizing a shunt rivet having different clinch member lengths,shorter length clinch members can more easily “swing” through an arcwithin the vessel lumen without contacting the interior walls, asmentioned above. Accordingly, such a shunt rivet may be implanted suchthat the clinch members are deployed in an ordered sequence. In oneexample, once a needle has been passed through the tissue wall to crossbetween vessels 90, 91, guidewire 30 may be advanced intravascularlythrough the needle which may then be removed leaving guidewire 30passing through vessels 90, 91. Shaft 25 and/or outer sheath 24 maybeadvanced through vessel 90 over or along guidewire 30 to followguidewire 30 into vessel 91, as shown in FIG. 35A. Shaft 25, describedabove, may be fabricated with a stiffened tip, such as polyimide, tofacilitate crossing between vessels. Once properly positioned withinvessel 91, outer sheath 24 may be pulled proximally while tracking itsdistal end visually via a marker band 152 until clinch member 98 isfirst released from the constraints of outer sheath 24 and allowed toreconfigure itself into its angled configuration, relative to alongitudinal axis of the shunt rivet. The individual clinch members ofthe shunt rivet may be optionally retained via anchoring pins 153integrated with shaft 25 which may hold the clinch members in place asouter sheath 24 is retracted. These anchoring pins 153 may also serve toprevent or limit the motion of the shunt rivet itself until outer sheath24 has been fully retracted. This particular configuration may beutilized in situations where a clinician may wish to re-sheath the shuntrivet, e.g., for abandoning a procedure or for repositioning the shuntrivet, etc.

With outer sheath 24 pulled further proximally, shortened clinch member97 may be subsequently released. With its shortened length, relative toclinch member 98, clinch member 97 may fully deploy and arc 151 entirelywithin vessel 91 without interfering or contacting the distal region ofthe vessel wall until clinch member 97 comes into contact against theproximal region of the vessel wall. With clinch members 97, 98 fullydeployed within vessel 91, outer sheath 24 may be further withdrawnrelative to shaft 25 to subsequently release shortened clinch member 96,which may then arc 150 entirely within adjacent vessel 90 to contact thetissue surrounding the fistula. Subsequently, outer sheath 24 may befully retracted to release clinch member 95 to allow it to come intocontact against the tissue wall within vessel 90, thereby fullydeploying the shunt rivet between vessels 90, 91. The shunt rivet may bepartially deployed from shaft 25 and optionally removed and/orre-positioned and re-deployed elsewhere within the body.

Another example is illustrated in FIGS. 35B and 35C, which illustrateside views of clinch members of a shunt rivet being deployed entirelywithin a vessel. As shown in FIG. 35B, once the assembly has beenadvanced intravascularly through vessel 90, e.g., an artery, and theneedle and guidewire advanced from within vessel 90 and into adjacentvessel 91, e.g., a vein, shaft 25 carrying the shunt rivet may beadvanced at least partially from outer sheath 24 (alternatively, outersheath 24 may be retracted relative to shaft 25) to expose thetransversely oriented clinch members 154, 156 and the clinch members 97,98 for expansion and/or reconfiguration within vessel 91. As shown,clinch member 97 may reconfigure from a low profile configuration whereclinch member 97 is positioned to extend distally along shaft 25 duringdelivery to a configuration where member 97 swings proximally withinvessel 91, as shown, to a securement configuration.

One or more members can be deployed and by advancing the outer sheath 24(and/or retracting shaft 25 relative to outer sheath 24), the memberscan be recaptured and at least partially re-sheathed to allow forremoval and/or repositioning of the shunt rivet. Once desirablyrepositioned, the clinch members may be fully deployed into position.

As further illustrated in this example, the lengthened clinch member 98may engage against the vessel wall within vessel 91 during deployment.If excessive pull force is applied to the shunt rivet, member 98 candeform and straighten while deflected by the walls of vessel 91, asillustrated by deformed tissue 158, so as to prevent or inhibit damageto the surrounding tissue. A clinician can visually assess, e.g., viafluoroscopy or ultrasound, the wall-to-shunt engagement by gauging theamount of deflection indicated by the lengthened clinch member 98. Alongwith the tactile feedback perceived by the clinician, the visualindication of the clinch member deformation may further aid inconfirming suitable shunt rivet positioning.

Once the position of the shunt rivet has been confirmed within vessel91, clinch member 98 may be fully deployed and clinch member 97 may befully deployed to swing proximally into its securement position withinvessel 91, as shown in FIG. 35C. The remaining clinch members may besubsequently released from outer sheath 24 and shaft 25 to be deployedwithin vessel 90.

In delivering and configuring the shunt rivets described above,additional delivery instruments may be utilized to facilitate adjustmentof the shunt rivets to a desirable configuration. For instance,adjusting the cross-sectional area of the connector portion of the shuntrivet or adjusting a length of the connector lumen between the clinchmembers, or adjusting an angle of the shunt rivet and clinch memberswith respect to the vessel lumens, etc., may be accomplished withinstruments as shown in FIGS. 36 to 38.

FIG. 36 illustrates one variation of an instrument 160 which may be usedto adjust a length of the connector lumen. Instrument 160 may generallycomprise an outer sheath 161 having an inflatable balloon or expandablemember 162 disposed around a distal portion of the sheath 161. Innersliding core 163, upon which the shunt rivet may be disposed upon orover, may be slidingly disposed within outer sheath 161 and may alsohave an inflatable balloon or expandable member 164 also disposed arounda distal portion of core 163. As mentioned above, with the shunt rivetdisposed upon sliding core 163, inflatable members 162, 164 may beexpanded to temporarily engage the respective clinch members to lengthenor extend the connector length between the clinch members of the shuntrivet, e.g., to accommodate vessel separation distances, either priorto, during, or post implantation of the shunt rivet within the vessels.Alternatively, with members 162, 164 expanded, the connector length maybe shortened between the clinch members.

The ability to adjust the length of the connector may allow for not onlyaccommodating for the distance between the vessels, but also to“fine-tune” a flow rate of the blood through the shunt rivet to achievea desired therapeutic result and/or to mitigate any side effects of thefistula. Moreover, although the adjustment to the shunt rivet may bedone intra-operatively in vivo, adjustments may also be performed priorto insertion within the patient body. Moreover, an electronic ormechanical gauge or markers (such as visual markings or radio-opaquemarkers) may be integrated with the instrument 160 to provide feedbackto the user as to the length that the shunt rivet is shortened orlengthened.

An example of another instrument which may be used to adjust an angle ofthe shunt rivet with respect to the vessels is shown in FIG. 37. Asabove, an inner sliding core 163 may be translatably positioned withinouter sheath 161. A pullwire 165 may have a fixation point 166 near orat a distal end of sheath 161 and may be routed through outer sheath 161and articulated 169 to adjust an angle of outer sheath 161 with respectto a longitudinal axis of sheath 161. Likewise, inner core 163 may alsohave a separate pullwire 167 with a fixation point 168 near or at adistal end of inner core 163 to adjust 169′ its angle with respect to alongitudinal axis of inner core 163. Sliding core 163 and outer sheath161 may both be articulated independently of one another to createmultiple bending configurations. In this manner, a shunt rivet disposedwithin outer sheath 161 and/or upon sliding core 163 may be bent orcurved into various configurations by the forces imparted upon the shuntrivet to adjust its angle with respect to the clinch members andvessels.

Such an instrument may be utilized to adjust not only an angle of, e.g.,connectors between the clinch members, but also the hinge or flange 111as well as other portions of the shunt rivet variations describedherein. Moreover, the instrument may be utilized to plastically deformthe portions of the shunt rivet. One or more radio-opaque markers may beincluded on the instrument to visually indicate an angle of theinstrument. An additional and/or alternative variation may furtherinclude an instrument which is used to deform the tissue neighboring thefistula site in the same manner as adjusting angles, distances, etc., ofthe shunt rivet. The shunt rivet may also be plastically deformed or itmay be simply elastically deformed to accommodate the tissue shapechanges. Additionally, the instrument may further include a mechanicalor electronic gauge to indicate the degree of force imparted on theshunt rivet as well as relaying other information during or postdeployment.

Yet another feature of a deployment instrument is shown in the partialcross-sectional side and end views, respectively, in FIG. 38. As shown,inflatable end effector 170 may include an inflation balloon 173 influid communication with an inflation lumen 172 which is disposed nearor at a distal end of a delivery shaft 171. A shunt rivet may bedisposed proximate to, upon, or distal to inflation balloon 173 in itsdeflated state for delivery into the vessels. Prior to, during, or postdeployment of the shunt rivet into the vessels, inflation balloon 173may be inflated to adjust a cross-sectional area of the shunt rivet toadjust the flow rate between the vessels, e.g., up to 5 mm or morediameter and as described above in the shunt rivet variations. Inflationballoon 173 may be configured to have a circular cross-sectional areasuch that expansion within the shunt rivet may adjust the shunt to havea corresponding circular cross-sectional area. Alternative variations ofthe inflation balloon 173 may include balloons having non-circular crosssections, e.g., such as an oval cross section with adjustable majorand/or minor axes, as shown in the end view of FIG. 38, to optionallyadjust a shunt rivet cross section accordingly. Other non-circularcross-sectional areas may be utilized, e.g., polygon, trapezoid,triangle, rhombus, rectangle, square, parallelogram, etc., to optimize aflow through the fistula and to vary or optimize an effective flowdiameter through the shunt rivet and between the interconnected vessels.

FIG. 39 illustrates a top view of a shunt rivet having an example of anoval cross-sectional area 180, which may be optionally adjusted via theone or more instruments above. Another non-circular cross-sectional areais illustrated in FIG. 40, which shows a top view of a shunt rivethaving a rectangular cross-sectional area 181. As mentioned, othernon-circular cross-sectional areas (e.g., polygon, trapezoid, triangle,rhombus, rectangle, square, parallelogram, etc.) may be utilized tooptimize flow conditions and/or therapeutic results for implantationbetween the vessels, as desired.

The devices described above may be provided with coatings or additionalstructures which serve as matrices for various therapeutic compounds.Drug eluting coatings, additional drug eluting strut members, drugeluting membranes surrounding the central section or drug eluting massesfilling the cells of the device may be added to the devices. For theaortocaval application and the arterio-venous application, therapeuticagents such as heparin and other anti-coagulants and paclitaxol,rapamycin (Sirolumis™), everolimus and other anti-stenotic compounds canbe applied to the stent in polymer matrices which permit elution ofthese drugs over a period of time ranging from several hours to severalmonths after implantation. Polymers such as polyurethane can be used asthe matrix.

While the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have beendescribed in reference to the environment in which they were developed,they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions.Modification or combinations of the above-described assemblies, otherembodiments, configurations, and methods for carrying out the invention,and variations of aspects of the invention that are obvious to those ofskill in the art are intended to be within the scope of the claims.

1. An intravascular connector, comprising: a first pair of clinchmembers comprising a first member and an apposed second member; a secondpair of clinch members opposite from the first pair of clinch membersand comprising a first member and an apposed second member; wherein thefirst and second pairs of clinch members has a deployed configurationlongitudinally disposed relative to contiguous portions of a firstvessel and a second vessel such that the first and second pairs ofclinch members are biased to close upon contiguous parallel portions ofthe first and second vessels, and wherein the first and second membersof the first pair of clinch members comprise non-uniform lengthsrelative to one another and the first and second members of the secondpair of clinch members comprise non-uniform lengths relative to oneanother.
 2. The connector of claim 1 further comprising at least a thirdpair of clinch members having a deployed configuration transverse to thefirst and second pairs such that the third pair of clinch members arebiased to exert a nominal pressure on circumferentially spaced points onside walls of the first and second vessels.
 3. The connector of claim 1wherein each first member of the first and second pair of clinch memberseach have a length less than each second member of the first and secondpair of clinch members.
 4. The connector of claim 3 wherein each firstmember of the first and second pair of clinch members are deployed onopposite ends of the connector within first and second vessels,respectively.
 5. The connector of claim 4 wherein each second member ofthe first and second pair of clinch members are deployed on oppositeends of the connector within first and second vessels, respectively. 6.The connector of claim 1 further comprising a clip connector extendingbetween the first and second pair of clinch members and defining a lumentherethrough fluidly coupling the first and second vessels.
 7. Theconnector of claim 6 wherein the clip connector is angled relative to acenterline of the connector.
 8. The connector of claim 6 wherein theclip connector defines a tapered cross-sectional area along its length.9. The connector of claim 6 wherein the clip connector is angledrelative to a centerline of the connector and defines a taperedcross-sectional area along its length.
 10. The connector of claim 6further comprising at least one deformable segment along a length of theclip connector.
 11. The connector of claim 1 further comprising a hingeor flange between clinch members.
 12. The connector of claim 1 furthercomprising at least one break-away or frangible segment along aperiphery of the connector.
 13. The connector of claim 1 furthercomprising at least one deformable segment along a periphery of theconnector.
 14. The connector of claim 1 further comprising a deliveryinstrument having an outer sheath and an inner shaft slidable within theouter sheath such that the connector is deployable from within the outersheath.
 15. The connector of claim 14 further comprising an inflatablemember near or at a distal end of the outer sheath and/or inner shaft.16. The connector of claim 14 wherein the outer sheath and/or innershaft are articulatable.
 17. The connector of claim 14 wherein thedelivery instrument further comprises an inflatable balloon thereupon.18. The connector of claim 17 wherein the balloon defines a circularcross-sectional area when inflated.
 19. The connector of claim 17wherein the balloon defines a non-circular cross-sectional area wheninflated.
 20. The connector of claim 1 wherein the first and secondpairs of clinch members are biased to evert such that a distal portionof each apposed member is proximate to one another when released in itsdeployed configuration.
 21. The connector of claim 1 wherein a distalportion of each apposed clinch member is configured to form anatraumatic bearing surface therebetween for impingement on the first andsecond vessels.
 22. The connector of claim 1 wherein the first andsecond pairs of clinch members comprise a continuously formed clipabsent an intervening waist segment.
 23. The connector of claim 1wherein the first vessel comprises an artery.
 24. The connector of claim1 wherein the second vessel comprises a vein.
 25. The connector of claim2 wherein the third pair of clinch members are biased to establish aslight compliance mismatch between the first and second vessels.
 26. Theconnector of claim 2 wherein the third pair of clinch members eachdefine a distal portion which is spaced apart from one another in thedeployed configuration.
 27. The connector of claim 1 wherein the thirdpair of clinch members comprise a continuously formed clip absent anintervening waist segment.
 28. The connector of claim 1 furthercomprising a therapeutic drug coating or membrane at least partiallycovering the connector.
 29. A method for creating an intravascularconnection, comprising: advancing an intravascular connector through afirst vessel, the intravascular connector having a first pair of clinchmembers comprising a first member and an apposed second member and asecond pair of clinch members opposite from the first pair of clinchmembers and also comprising a first member and an apposed second member;introducing the second member of the first pair and the first member ofthe second pair into a second vessel from the first vessel such that therespective members deploy into contact against an inner wall of thesecond vessel; and deploying the first member of the first pair and thesecond member of the second pair into contact against an inner wall ofthe first vessel, wherein the first and second members of the first pairof clinch members comprise non-uniform lengths relative to one anotherand the first and second members of the second pair of clinch memberscomprise non-uniform lengths relative to one another.
 30. The method ofclaim 29 wherein advancing an intravascular connector comprisesadvancing the connector within an outer sheath.
 31. The method of claim29 wherein prior to introducing, intravascularly crossing a guidewirefrom the first vessel into the second vessel such that the guidewire isdisposed within the first and second vessels.
 32. The method of claim 31wherein introducing comprises advancing the intravascular connector atleast partially from the first vessel and into the second vessel over oralong the guidewire.
 33. The method of claim 29 wherein introducingcomprises releasing the first member of the second pair in an arccontained within the second vessel into contact against the inner wallof the second vessel.
 34. The method of claim 29 wherein deployingcomprises releasing the first member of the first pair in an arccontained within the first vessel into contact against the inner wall ofthe first vessel.
 35. The method of claim 29 further comprisingadjusting a physical parameter of the intravascular connector to modifya flow rate between the first and second vessels through the connector.36. The method of claim 35 wherein adjusting a physical parametercomprises modifying a configuration of the intravascular connector viabreak-away, frangible, or deformable segments comprising at least aportion of the connector.
 37. The method of claim 35 wherein adjusting aphysical parameter comprises adjusting a cross-sectional area of theintravascular connector to adjust the flow rate therethrough.
 38. Themethod of claim 35 wherein adjusting a physical parameter comprisesadjusting a lumen length of the intravascular connector between thefirst and second vessels.
 39. The method of claim 35 wherein adjusting aphysical parameter comprises adjusting an angle of the intravascularconnector extending between the first and second vessels.
 40. The methodof claim 29 further comprising deploying at least a third pair of clinchmembers having a deployed configuration transverse to the first andsecond pairs such that the third pair of clinch members are biased toexert a nominal pressure on circumferentially spaced points on sidewalls of the first and second vessels.
 41. A method for implanting anintravascular connector, comprising: advancing an intravascularconnector through a first vessel, the intravascular connector having afirst pair of clinch members comprising a first member and an apposedsecond member and a second pair of clinch members opposite from thefirst pair of clinch members and also comprising a first member and anapposed second member; introducing the second member of the first pairand the first member of the second pair into a second vessel from thefirst vessel; visualizing a deflection of the second member of the firstpair against a tissue wall of the second vessel to determine suitablepositioning of the connector relative to the second vessel; deployingthe first member of the second pair such that the first member of thesecond pair swings from a distal position to a proximal position againstthe tissue wall of the second vessel; and deploying the first member ofthe first pair and the second member of the second pair into contactagainst an inner wall of the first vessel such that the first vessel andsecond vessel are in fluid communication with one another.
 42. Themethod of claim 41 wherein the first and second members of the firstpair of clinch members comprise non-uniform lengths relative to oneanother and the first and second members of the second pair of clinchmembers comprise non-uniform lengths relative to one another.
 43. Themethod of claim 41 wherein advancing an intravascular connectorcomprises advancing the connector within an outer sheath.
 44. The methodof claim 41 wherein prior to introducing, intravascularly crossing aguidewire from the first vessel into the second vessel such that theguidewire is disposed within the first and second vessels.
 45. Themethod of claim 41 further comprising adjusting a physical parameter ofthe intravascular connector to modify a flow rate between the first andsecond vessels through the connector.
 46. The method of claim 45 whereinadjusting a physical parameter comprises modifing a configuration of theintravascular connector via break-away, frangible, or deformablesegments comprising at least a portion of the connector.
 47. The methodof claim 41 wherein visualizing a deflection comprises determining whendeflection of the second member of the first pair is minimized relativeto the tissue wall of the second vessel as indicative of suitableconnector positioning.
 48. The method of claim 47 further comprisingperceiving force feedback of the connector against the tissue wall ofthe second vessel.
 49. The method of claim 41 further comprisingdeploying at least a third pair of clinch members having a deployedconfiguration transverse to the first and second pairs such that thethird pair of clinch members are biased to exert a nominal pressure oncircumferentially spaced points on side walls of the first and secondvessels.